


In Pursuit of Perfection

by TheTuckingFypo



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Mental Health Issues, Perfectionist Complex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-01
Updated: 2017-12-20
Packaged: 2018-12-09 21:50:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11677764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheTuckingFypo/pseuds/TheTuckingFypo
Summary: Perfectionism is a trap.





	1. Complex

_Perfection._

The very thing Subaki once strived for.

_Perfection._

First a dream, now a living hell.

_Perfection._

He wanted to shudder every time he heard compliments and praise from the masses. He would give in to his desires, but his very reputation held him back as he continued to wear his mask as a façade he knew all too well.

_Perfection._

The bar always set at its highest, yet being raised at each feat.

_Perfection._

The anxiety of slipping up was all too real. The little voice in the back of his head, always whispering, “what if?”, lingering deep in his mind, body, and soul. It was a never-ending cycle.

_Perfection._

It was a drug; his drug, and he was addicted against his own will.

_Perfection._

All he wanted was a way out. He couldn’t take it anymore.

_Perfection._

_Perfection._

_Perfection._

_Perfec-._

Subaki shot up, nearly falling out of bed, still dazed from his most recent nightmare. Heavy panting, cold sweats and his rapid heart rate were the only things he could register before reaching a fully awake state.

“Another perfectly, sleepless night,” he thought to himself as he grudgingly pulled himself out of bed and began to get himself ready for the day to come. Some days, he wished that he didn’t have to leave his bed. It was the only thing that knew his struggle, and the only thing to comfort him in his time of need. If he could, he would crawl right back to the soft hug that awaited him, but at this point there was little sleep to be had. “Five more minutes,” was what he wanted to tell himself, but time never waited on anyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This preview here is part of Chapter 1. So you'll likely see this when I post Chapter 1(if I decide it'll be a multi-chapter story), or when I post the completed fic (if I decide if it'll be a oneshot). 
> 
> However, the preview works perfectly and beautifully on it's own. Ironically, this is a product of my own frustrations with my inability to write like other people. And because I have a lot of trouble transferring words and sentences from my head to the page, I view it as a flaw with myself, and thus it messes with my own perfectionist complex... 
> 
> EDIT: I've decided to make this tiny prompt Chapter 1 of what is now my first multi-chapter fic!


	2. First Impressions

“Hygiene, check. Clothes on correctly, check. Hair,” Subaki confirmed in his head as he fixed his hair into his signature ponytail, “Perfect.”  


As soon as he freed his hands from his perfect ponytail, someone made their presence known by knocking on the other side of his door. His heart skipped a beat as a reaction to the sound, and figured that it would take him yet a little while longer to get used to the seemingly creepy Nohrian styled room he was placed in. It was a far cry to the futons, tatami floors and sliding bamboo doors he was used to. Privacy was still privacy to him, and he was grateful for it.

Subaki was in for a surprise as he opened the door, as it wasn’t Hana or Sakura on the other side as usual, but one of the Nohrian girls they had fought the day before. He recalled, instead of executing them, Corrin opted to spare their lives and recruited them. As much as he admired her generosity and compassion, he was still skeptical of her naivety. After all, the Nohrians could betray them at any time.

He took a good look at the Nohrian that now stood only 2 feet away. She was about average in height, well kempt and a fair sense of fashion. Almost nothing really stood out about her, except her hair. It was a deep, intense red that matched her eyes, tied neatly into a pair of pigtails with two small black ribbons. He could have sworn that red hair was specifically a Hoshidian trait, as he had never heard of a Nohrian having red hair of her caliber. Part of him wondered if she was really Nohrian. A small ring on her finger made him question her ethnicity further, as it too, seemed foreign.

“What’s wrong with you!? Why are you staring at me like that?” barked the irritated redhead.

Subaki recollected himself, “My apologies, miss, I was appreciating the intensity of your hair.”

Subaki watched as her glare she wore not even a minute ago dissipated, and a soft pink blush formed on each cheek, complementing her pale skin. “Thank you,” she began.

However, it was short lived as her glare returned as fast as it vanished. “Wait a second! I’m NOT falling for that! Your empty words mean nothing to me! I’m no fool! I came here on order of Lady Corrin, to retrieve you for breakfast, not get hit on by some Hoshidan! Jerk!”

Before he could say anything else to her, he watched, stunned, as the redheaded girl with a temper to match stormed away towards the mess hall. Once she disappeared from his sight, he sighed. He figured Corrin would eventually try to get both the Hoshidans and Nohrians to mingle, but he never expected her to act on those plans so soon. If he had more time, he would’ve learned Nohrian mannerisms to prevent the very situation he just went through. His gut wrenched at the thought that told him that the day’s perfect streak was already broken, and someone caught him. Upon the realization that he didn’t even get her name, he sighed once more as he put on his undetectable mask before heading out to the mess hall himself.

Instead of heading directly to the mess hall, Subaki opted to detour through a nearby field. After what just occurred, he needed a change of scenery, and to calm his nerves. After little contemplation over the perfect spot, he sat down under a blooming cherry blossom tree to ponder his options.

He could seek her out directly and apologize. He thought it was a great plan, until realizing that doing so would ruin his reputation. He couldn’t do that. He could also let it be and hope that the girl didn’t hold a grudge. That plan was also scrapped. If she opened her mouth, his reputation would be anything but perfect.

Though his face maintained his calm demeanor, his state of mind was anything but. Finding a feasible solution to his problem was long gone, replaced with only the lingering doubt of his own efforts. He knew, deep down, that he wouldn’t be in this predicament had he kept his mouth shut. It was his fault for upsetting that Nohrian girl, his fault for giving her a bad first impression of not only himself, but for Hoshido as well. It was his fault that he had tainted his family’s legacy. He was weak. No matter how hard he tried, it was never enough. He was a failure, and a shame to his lineage.

A faint, gurgling sound originating from his stomach cut his mental lamentation short and reminded him of his original destination. “Oh great, breakfast,” he muttered under his breath, knowing that at this rate, he’d probably be late. The day had only just begun, and it was already raining on his parade. Only as he was dusting himself off did he notice something sparkle in the corner of his eye. Curiosity got the better of him as he stepped closer to investigate. To his surprise, it was a ring. Upon further inspection, he couldn’t help but smirk at the pattern of the ring. Luck was on his side.

It was the perfect plan. Wait for her to notice her ring is missing, return it to her, and get on her good side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've decided to make this a multi chapter fic, as it was getting too long to be a oneshot.
> 
> What do you guys think will happen next?


	3. Meal of Mayhem and Words of Wisdom

What he didn’t account for was that it would take her the entire day to notice.

Breakfast was anything but perfect. Immediately upon entering the mess hall he was met with an intense glare from a certain pair of eyes. The other two Nohrian women looked up at him as well, but not in the same manner as the redheaded girl. Upon a quick read of their faces, he figured that the blue-haired woman didn’t really appear to care, while the purple-haired woman looked subtly confused. He was just thankful that he only had to endure one glare instead of three, as it meant that his reputation was still salvageable.

One glare, however, was still awkward. He didn’t need someone glaring at him during his meal. He couldn’t just return the ring, for obvious reasons. That, and to him, it appeared as she hadn’t noticed yet, so he opted for the next best idea. He smiled at her. It worked, as the redhead’s cheeks burned up as she averted her gaze, all while the purple haired women lightly chuckled at the confrontation. Feeling somewhat triumphant, he got his meal and sat down within earshot of the three. He figured that this was the perfect spot; he could overhear the three Nohrian women chat. That way he would know when the redheaded girl would notice that her ring was missing. That, and no other Hoshidians would even consider sitting near them with their current bias, leaving him uninterrupted.

Boy, was he ever wrong.

Out of all people, Prince Takumi decided that sitting next to him was his best course of action. Subaki felt his jaw tighten. At this rate, his cover would be blown. He could only hope that Takumi would stay quiet during their meal.

His wishes went unanswered, as Takumi leaned over to whisper, “So, you don’t trust them either.”

Takumi then turned to the table of Nohrians. Only the purple-haired woman gave a look in their direction. Takumi, surprised that someone was already on to him, swiftly turned back to his meal, cheeks glowing with a soft pink. Subaki could hear yet another chuckle from her.

Only then, did Subaki answer, “I have my reasons for sitting here. Trust isn’t one of those reasons.”

The Blue-haired Nohrian was the first of the three women to speak, “Lady Camilla, if you will excuse me. Corrin has me and a person by the name of Oboro on Fish Hunting duty today.”

Takumi made a strange face. Subaki looked at him in bewilderment, “Are you okay, Prince Takumi?”

Takumi merely nodded. Subaki wasn’t entirely convinced he was.

“Alright, my dearest Beruka,” Camilla replied, getting up to embrace her, “Be safe, darling. Oh! And no killing anything, besides the fish. That’s an order.”

And with that, Beruka left the mess hall. There would have been more silence, but it was quickly broken by a gagging Takumi. Subaki rolled his eyes and got up to help him. However, Camilla, who was still standing, beat him to it.

She ever so lovingly wrapped her arms around him. Takumi, however, fought it, desperately trying to get her off of him. She frowned slightly at his resistance, “Now, now, dearie,” she cooed in his ear, “I know you hate me, but just trust me for the next few seconds, Prince Takumi.”

Subaki and the redheaded girl, too caught up in the moment to remember their ‘confrontation’ earlier that morning, only gave each other confused looks as Camilla performed the necessary first aid on Takumi in her own, special way. Finally, Takumi spat out the abomination of a breakfast that had just previously attempted to claim his life. In Subaki’s mind, he figured that Takumi would blame his food for being Nohrian. He smirked at the thought, since he’d be completely wrong; it was actually Nestrian food.

Everything was back to normal, except for Camilla, who was still wrapped around the flustered prince, “See darling?” Camilla said as she began to pet his hair, “Everything’s alright now.”

“Princess Camilla, could you please let go of me?”

“Awww, but you’re sooo cute.”

A light snicker escaped from the redhead’s lips as she rose from her seat, “I have some training to do. If you’ll allow me, Lady Camilla, I will take my leave.”

“Okay darling,” Camilla said, keeping Takumi in her embrace, despite his protests, “Do take care.”

The redheaded girl gave Subaki one last glare before leaving the hall herself, the room returning to a state of awkward silence once more. Takumi, at this point, had given up fighting Camilla. As uncomfortable as he was, everyone knew that he would be stuck there for a while.

Only when Subaki finished his own meal, did the silence break once again, this time by Camilla, “You’re Subaki, right?” she asked as she stroked Takumi’s silvery locks.

“Yes, ma’am. Is there anything I can do to assist you?”

A small smile grew on the dark princess’ face, “No, actually. I want to apologize for my retainer’s behavior towards you.”

“Oh? Please don’t apologize, Princess Camilla. I am the one in the wrong.”

“No, darling. Please hear me out. My darling retainer can be a bit… Snarky… So to speak,” Camilla chuckled, “She knows that you didn’t have but the purest intentions.”

“I see,” Subaki said, “Noted. Regardless of her attitude, I still feel I owe her an apology, at the very least.”

“Hmm. You really are what they say. Perfect, in every sense of the word.”

“Oh, Princess Camilla, you speak of me too highly. I just do whatever I can to help.” Subaki insisted, feeling perfection twist in his gut, as if it were a Dual Blade.

“I see. I can’t argue with that,” Camilla conceded, “I’m certain she will find a perfect friend in a man like you.”

“Can you let go of me now?” asked a flustered Takumi. To his dismay, he was ignored.

“Well, Lady Camilla, it was nice chatting with you while it lasted, but I must be going now. I am to assist Princess Sakura in the infirmary this morning.”

“Very well dear. Take care.”

“Will do. Thank you for any and all concern,” Subaki said as he rose from his seat to clear his plate. He was just about home free from that disastrous breakfast. However, the Nohrian princess had other plans.

"What's it like, being an embodiment of perfection?” Camilla cooed.

Subaki continued to wash his plate and remained quiet.

“Is it all what it's made out to be?" She paused to stroke Takumi's hair again, "If it is, is it a life worth living?"

Subaki walked back towards her and opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off when Camilla put a finger against his lips to silence him, "Ah, ah, ah. I don't desire the answer to such a subjective question, because I believe that once you're on top of the world, life becomes dull."

"I see it in your eyes, they're just like my poor little Leo's. Hopeless, so to speak. Like you, he's a prodigy in anything he puts his mind to. Challenges for him became fewer and fewer, without meaning. It got to the point where only Corrin could provide him with such a challenge... It’s almost as if she’s a fire that invigorates his soul… Oh! Dear me, I've rambled my tongue off again!" Camilla chuckled, “But all in all, I would hate for such… potential to go to waste. I may not be your liege, but I have a favor for you. Figure out what lights your fire, then chase the match.”

“Understood,” he lied.

Just as he was about to leave, Camilla, who was no longer giving eye contact, chimed in once last time, “Oh. Regarding my darling retainer, please be good to her,” she turned back to him briefly, giving Subaki a motherly look, “I think you’re exactly what she needs in her life right now.”

Subaki merely nodded as he closed the door behind him.

Rather than walking away, Subaki leaned himself against the oak wood door for support while he rubbed the sides of his temples, his guise already eating at him. He wasn’t expecting Prince Takumi to show up and blow his cover. Even if Princess Camilla was the only one to clue in, he should’ve expected it. His plan was flawed, and he only had himself to blame for it.

He blamed himself for his own greediness, for wanting to hear the redhead notice her missing sentiment, when he could’ve simply watched from afar. If he had done that, Takumi wouldn’t have sat with him.

His blood boiled from his frustration with his inability to understand the words of the Nohrian princess herself.

_“Please be good to her. I think you’re exactly what she needs in her life right now.” ___

____

____

While he understood her basic message, he couldn’t decipher the hidden meaning she left for him to solve.

_“Figure out what light your fire, then chase the match.” ___

__

__He feared, that he would never figure out what she really meant._ _

____

____

Breakfast could not have gone any worse.

All thoughts of self-reproach came to a halt when sounds of smashing of dishes and bashing of furniture could be heard from inside, “Princess Camilla!” he could hear Takumi bellow from inside, “I’m not a child! I do NOT need to be spoon-fed!”

“Maybe it could have been worse.” Subaki thought, allowing himself to let out a quiet chuckle as he began to head towards the infirmary.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whelp, sorry I took so long! I had a family trip to go on!
> 
> As most have guessed, this is a SubakixSelena fanfic. 
> 
> Subaki just can't seem to catch a break, so I decided to give him a little air this time around. This chapter is a little lighter than the others thus far. 
> 
> Until next time!


	4. Intervention

Princess Sakura was already on site healing their allies when Subaki reached the infirmary. As if on cue, the princess acknowledged his presence. He watched her as she quickly finished healing her current patient, before quickly scuttling towards him with a tiny smile, wrapping her arms around his waist. “Good m-morning, Subaki,” the shy princess happily mumbled. 

“Good morning, Princess Sakura,” Subaki replied, as he hugged her back. He counted himself extremely lucky, serving a princess he considered to embody purity and perfection. Though many would consider her shyness and stuttering as a flaw, Subaki thought that her quirks only made her all the more sublime. Perhaps, through the time he’d served for her, he quickly came to love her, as if she were his little sister. He’d do anything to protect her perfection. 

“S-Subaki,” she began, “I n-need some help m-making sure we have enough medicine and herbs in inventory for treatment. I-I would do it myself, b-but I can’t leave the injured alone…”

“Don’t worry, princess,” he reassured, letting go of their embrace to place his hands firmly on her shoulders, “You can count on me to make sure everything is accounted for, and restocked if necessary. I’ll even restock the weapons while I’m at it.”

“T-thank you,” Sakura said before returning her attention to her next patient. 

It was almost noon when Subaki finished inventory check. Just before returning to Sakura, he double checked that he didn’t double the weapons order like last time. It was a mistake that he felt he would never live down, even if Sakura was the only one who knew. He was fortunate that no one else caught the mistake for what it was, and instead praised him for ordering extras. While he came across as high and mighty then, he remembered the heartache of lying to everyone, including himself. 

Without warning, Corrin burst into the inventory tent, “Sakura!”

“Lady Corrin?” said a surprised Subaki.

“Where’s Sakura?” Corrin repeated, mid-panic.

“I apologize, but Princess Sakura is in another tent.”

Corrin wasn't amused.

“She is in the infirmary,” he rephrased, “May I ask why you need her?”

“The arena battle, it has gotten out of control!” Corrin cried.

“Lady Corrin,” he begun, lightly squeezing Corrin’s shoulders, “Calm down. Nothing good will come out of this if we waste time panicking.”

“You’re right,” she breathed, “I’m sorry, Subaki.”

“None taken,” he replied, grabbing some bottles, “I have some vulneraries. Let us go get Sakura and the three of us can head there together.”

“I-is something wrong?” a worried Sakura asked as she entered the inventory tent, “I-I heard my name, and then some screaming.”

“It seems that Lady Corrin needs our assistance in the arena.” Subaki replied.

Sakura’s lips formed a small frown as she tightened her grip on the staff she was holding, “W-we must hurry.” 

Subaki was shocked to see who was fighting. He wasn’t expecting Hana and that redheaded girl to be fighting each other in the arena. He cursed under his breath, he should’ve known that it was going to be her, of all people. 

From what he could see, while both women displayed light cuts and bruises, Hana had the advantage. But something was off. The Hana he knew definitely had issues with self-restraint, but she would always stop fighting after she knew her training opponent was beat. He continued to watch Hana wail away at the red headed Nohrian, wondering if her background had anything to do with Hana’s aggression. Even then, he expected that if anyone would be driven to such levels of aggression, it’d be Oboro, not Hana. He looked over to see Sakura was just as shocked as he was, and then to Corrin, who seemed more saddened than anything. 

“What happened,” Subaki asked, placing the vulneraries on the table next to them.

“Well, I just wanted everyone to get along, and I thought that if I paired people from both Hoshido and Nohr to complete tasks together…” Corrin sniffled, trying to hold back tears.

“I understand, but how did the fight get this bad?”

“… I’m not exactly sure,” Corrin finally answered, “But at some point, Hana became more aggressive, screaming things about Nohrians and her father…”

Klink!

Subaki immediately turned back to the fight to find Hana had disarmed her Nohrian opponent, and was backing her into a corner for the final blow. 

“What’s wrong with you?” shrieked the red head, now backed up against the arena wall, “Just because you beat me doesn’t mean you can have my head!”

Subaki needed to stop this, and fast. Before either Corrin or Sakura could stop him, he grabbed the nearest weapon, a wooden lance, and rushed out toward the heat of the fight. 

“Please be good to her. I think you’re exactly what she needs in her life right now.”

“Figure out what lights your fire, then chase the match.”

The words echoed through his head again. While he still didn’t understand them, they would be useless if she was dead. 

“You Nohrians took my father’s life!” he heard Hana bellow as she raised her sword, “Now, I’ll take yours and avenge him!”

She swung her katana downwards.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter chapter this time, but more intense. I also through in a retro game reference. Let's see if anyone can find it. 
> 
> I hope you guys like this chapter!


	5. Unraveled

The only thing perfect about Subaki at that moment was his timing. Even then, he could care less, as the next thing he knew was there was now a katana embedded in his right shoulder. He could feel blood trickling down his back as the pain quickly spread throughout his body, and he did his best to hide it. He briefly looked at the redheaded Nohrian he had inadvertently pinned against the arena wall, “Are you all right?”

She could only nod in shock. Subaki was thankful that it at least wasn’t a glare. He then looked over his good shoulder at a terrified Hana, mouthing the words “I’m sorry,” to him, “Don’t worry Hana,” he breathed, “You already avenged him long ago by becoming one of Hoshido’s best samurai.”

He dropped the wooden lance, now bloodied and cut cleanly in two, “You have quite the power behind your blows, too.”  
“Subaki!” he heard the two princesses scream in the distance. He turned towards the two to reassure them that he was fine, but the fact that there were two Corrins and three Sakuras made his once solid confidence waver with doubt. The soil against his face had never felt so cold.

_Perfection._

Subaki felt the pressure building.

_Perfection._

The weight put upon him was becoming too heavy a burden to carry.

_Perfection._

His ever-increasing sum of failures began to flood his mind.

_Perfection._

A lifetime of hard work, only to be brought down by a Nohrian girl whom he’d only just met.

_Perfection._

He could only imagine the disappointment he had brought upon his family name.

_Perfection._

His anxieties and fears had become a reality.

_Perfection._

_Perfection._

_Perfection._

_Perfec-._

“Not this again!” Subaki hollered, shooting up.

“E-eep!” he heard a voice squeak as something hit the ground.

“Sakura?” a rather perplexed Subaki asked, looking around to gain awareness of his surroundings.

Sakura calmed herself down, “Y-yes?”

“I’m-I’m sorry for startling you,” he apologized, cursing under his breath for stuttering in front of his beloved liege, “Where am I and how did I get here?”

“Y-you’re in the infirmary,” she explained as she picked up her staff and began to heal him again, “B-big sister used her dr-dragonstone to get you here. You were hurt.”

Subaki’s eyes widened at her in disbelief, until he felt his right shoulder cry in agony. He immediately grasped it with his good hand to suppress the pain, only to discover the feeling of mesh cotton. He looked down and saw what he feared to see; a makeshift medical sling. A shoulder cuff padded amply with a soft material inside was tightened and strapped across his chest and around his waist to prevent even the slightest of movements. His entire shoulder and arm were immobilized. For what little medical supplies their army had, Sakura’s training had really paid off.

“S-Subaki,” Sakura said, “P-please, rest. If you do, I-I think you could be well enough to maybe fight in the next battle. B-big sister needs all the help she can get.”

“I… Suppose that’s an order?” Subaki said, jokingly, giving her a light, but goofy grin.

The two laughed together, and after a while, Subaki fell asleep. For the first time in a while, his nightmares didn’t haunt him.

...

Subaki slowly awoke from his slumber to voices just outside of the tent. He was almost immediately able to distinguish their voices; his liege, Princess Sakura, and… her. That red-headed Nohrian was the last person he wanted to see. Only when he heard her ask for him, did he begin to truly listen to the conversation.

“Y-Yes. H-He’s just resting now. S-shall I wake him for you?”

“It’s okay,” he heard the redhead say, shame clearly evident in her tone, “I came to apologize to that jerk retainer of yours.”

“Darling, that ‘jerk’ saved your life.”

“Oh great,” he thought. She’s here.

“I know, but that doesn’t change the fact he’s a perfectionistic jerk!”

“Now now, if, he really was this perfectionistic jerk, I think he wouldn’t have intervened in your… duel… the way he did. He wouldn’t be here, and you wouldn’t be either,” letting out a light chuckle at her own humor before changing the subject, “If he’s resting, maybe apologizing right now isn’t the best idea. How about we head to the baths before we come back. I’m certain you will feel… rejuvenated… perfect, even.”

Subaki felt pain shoot back to his shoulder injury upon hearing the words of the Nohrian princess. It was almost like she knew he could hear them.

Suddenly, it hit him, “If they were going to the baths… Then she’d definitely know her ring is missing!” he thought. With his good arm, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring.

“Princess Sakura, you’ve been working so hard for everyone, and I appreciate it. How about you join us? You know, just us girls?”

“T-thank you, P-princess Camilla,” he heard an evidently nervous Sakura answer, stuttering more than usual, “B-but I have to keep working for everyone’s well-being.”

“A girl’s bath night?” another voice chirped, “That sounds like a great idea!”

“Oh no,” Subaki thought, “First Princess Camilla, and now Lady Corrin.”

“B-big sister… B-but I have to-“

“Please? Pretty please? Jakob can watch over your shift while you’re away!”

“B-but-“

“Do not worry, Princess Sakura,” said a familiar, masculine voice, “I am more than delighted to help here. Please, take care of yourself for once. You need it.”

“I-I’m sorry, Jakob. You’re right. T-thank you for looking out for me.”

“Thanks, Jakob! You’re the best!” he heard Corrin say, “We shouldn’t be too long!”

It wasn’t long before all was quiet again. Lost in thoughts and all alone, and nothing better to do, Subaki studied the ring again. The most noticeable thing about the white gold ring was the enormous diamond embedded in the middle. The small diamonds that wrapped around it only made it more noticeable. On each side of the super-sized stone lay a beautifully handcrafted rose with a tiny diamond in the center, both of which he determined to be made of rose gold. Two strands of metal stemmed from underneath each rose to form the shape of an ‘X’, with another diamond embedded where each strand crossed. To complete it, a small portion of the band was beveled to feature what looked like a small vine or leaf. Every little detail was so well thought out it never failed to leave Subaki in awe.

“So I see that Mr.Perfect has got a weak spot after all.”

Subaki immediately looked the butler in the eyes, in hopes that it would hide his surprise, “You’ve misread the situation. I’m looking for the owner of this missing ring,” he answered. While it wasn’t a complete lie, for some reason, it still didn’t sit well with him, “What do you want.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Phew! That took longer than I thought it'd take! Hope you enjoy!


	6. Road to Redemption, Fit for a Fool

“Want?” the smug looking butler gloated, “There’s absolutely nothing I want, even more so now that I have a front row seat to watch you fall from your former glory.”

“Then I’m afraid you’ve come to the wrong place.”

“I highly doubt that. From what I’ve seen and heard, you’ve been nothing but a mess.”

“I beg to differ, I performed as expected today, perfectly, if I do say so myself.”

“Is that so? Then clearly, I’m mistaken. It seems that I merely imagined that you were injured. My apologies.” Jakob retorted, pretending to jab a finger at his bad shoulder.

“You wouldn’t dare.”

“Oh, I would. There’s no harm in a small jest, unless you’re not in perfect shape as you claimed,” the smug butler persisted, prodding at the Pegasus Knight’s sling again, now with the intent to land a hit on him. Subaki, ring still in his hand, began to block him with his good arm.

“Jakob.” Subaki glowered as he grabbed Jakob by the wrist, “Enough.”

Mistake.

Both men watched the ring as it flew out of Subaki’s grasp and began to fall towards the ground. Subaki went to catch the ring, but fate had other plans, as Jakob reacted faster, caught it, and examined it himself.

“My word, this ring really is a sight to behold.” Jakob said as he too, began to lose himself in the ring as well.

“It truly is,” Subaki agreed.

“I’m at a loss for words on how to describe such a beauty.” Jakob continued, pausing to gather his thoughts, “It’s… perfect…”

“It seems that Lady Corrin’s smug butler has a weak spot after all.”

“Very funny, coming from our army’s imperfection.”

As Jakob handed the ring back to him, Subaki noticed a detail he’d overlooked before.

“Huh?” Subaki murmured, “Ylisstol Jewelers?”

“What ever is the matter, Subaki? Has a kitsune caught your tongue?”

“No,” Subaki answered, too exhausted to bother reacting to the butler’s attempt to prod, “Have you ever heard of a place or thing by the name of ‘Ylisstol’?”

“Actually, I do. If I recall, the name comes up in a book Lady Corrin and Lord Leo would read all the time as children at the fortress. I believe it’s called ‘Awakening of the Fell Dragon’, or something along those lines. I actually brought it with me, in case Lady Corrin wanted to read it again. Why do you ask?”

“If I may, would you let me borrow it for the night?”

Sakura eventually returned to the infirmary to relieve, and to Subaki’s dismay, thank Jakob for watching over her duties while she was away. The smug butler bowed to her in respect, reassuring her that it was nothing, and that it was good for her to take care of herself first for once before he left.

“H-he’s so kind,” she gushed.

“Yeah,” Subaki answered, although more acerbically. While the smug butler left him with a bitter taste in his mouth, Subaki knew deep down that Jakob was a kind-hearted person, even if he didn’t show it. No one who came across that heartless, and truly was, would never run across the camp to retrieve something so irrelevant, like a book, for someone he barely knew. He even considered Subaki’s injuries, and went the extra mile to deliver it in a nice crossbody bag, which Subaki now donned. One thing that was now for certain in Subaki’s mind, was why Corrin chose him as her butler.

“O-oh! He even cleaned up and prepared everything for tomorrow!” she squeaked, effectively bringing Subaki to reality, “I’ll just do a look over and quickly take care of-“

“Jakob did that already,” Subaki interjected, “All you need to do now is rest. It’s late. I’ll walk you back to your room.”

“I guess that’s true,” Sakura responded mid yawn, “O-okay. Lead the way.”

Subaki was heading back to his room for a good night’s rest when he saw his chance to redeem himself. There she was, hunched over in the middle of the very field near the cherry blossom tree searching for the very ring he’d found earlier. He knew that had to be the case, as from afar, even a fool could tell that she seemed to be in a rather frantic state. As Subaki slowly began to make his way over to her, he noticed that the twin tails she usually sported were no where to be seen. Instead, she allowed her intense red hair to flow freely. The moonlight’s rays lovingly embraced her locks, and in turn, her hair drank it up, making it all the more mesmerizing. He wanted to stroke it, but restrained himself. He just wanted to get this ordeal over and done with, so he could return to his perfectionistic routine, without her to ruin it. So why was he so nervous?

“Where could it have gone? I know that I dropped it somewhere around here...” she wept, “That ring is the only keepsake that I still have from my mother. Oh gods, please let me find it!”

Her words shot right through his heart. Now that he knew, it was no wonder why she always had it with her. If he had an item of similar value, he'd do the same thing. Half of him envied her for what kind of bond she may have had with her mother, but also longed for the familial love he never truly received. It wasn't that his family didn't love him, it was that honor, duty, and reputation took priority over anything else. But now, he was having doubts. Did they ever love him? He would never know. The answer went to the grave when his last surviving relative, his father, passed trying to protect the late King Sumeragi in Cheve. He was all alone.

The other half of him appreciated the bond the Nohrian girl had with her mother, and found some solace in it that warmed his heart, as if someone lit a match.

“H-Hello there,” Subaki began as he approached her, pausing momentarily to clear his throat and reveal the ring, “Were you looking for this?”

“Yes! Thank goodness! That's my ring! What a relief!” she squealed, pulling him into a rather tight embrace. He certainly didn’t expect that. He felt blood rush to his cheeks as she only hugged tighter.

“I'm glad,” he managed to muffle out, “-that I could assist you.”

Only when he managed to feel comfortable enough to reciprocate the embrace, did it break. The girl, her cheeks now as red as her hair, was clearly embarrassed as she pushed him away, only managing to spurt out, “Y-Your face looks familiar… Wait! Are you...,” after what seemed like an eternity.

“Yes?”

“You're Hoshido's supposedly perfect superhuman, Subaki! I've always been curious to put your legendary skills to the test,” She exclaimed.

“What are you talking about?”

“Back when I lived in Nohr, I heard many tall tales about your feats. People said that the Hoshidan army had a pegasus knight of considerable skill. That his every movement was the very picture of effortless grace. Oh, and they said he was a first-rate gentleman and handsome to boot. A real prodigy in every regard.”

“Heh. Yes, I can say without hesitation that they were referring to me,” he answered with confidence.

However, this confidence was short lived, as she returned to wearing her usual, blush free, snarky frown, “Did I mention that they also said you were arrogant beyond measure? How could a brash man like yourself ever tame a pegasus? Generally, they only allow the most pure hearted maidens to ride them.”

“What ever do you mean?” Subaki asked, “Oh, you must be talking about the breed of pegasi from your country. They're considerably different from ours.”

“Really? Is that true?” she asked, her eyes wide.

“They're similar, but they are different breeds entirely. The pegasi of Hoshido and falicorns of Nohr don't mind men. They'll let anyone ride them, whether or not they're female. I'm surprised you didn't know that. It should be written in any basic tactical manual for new recruits.”

“Well how would I know that? I just got here recently. Why are you acting all high and mighty over something so trivial?”

“I wasn't acting ‘high and mighty.’ I was simply stating a fact,” Subaki explained.

“Whatever,” she proclaimed, pointing a finger at him, “Fight me, Subaki! I know that I can take you down!”

“Fight you? Ha!” Subaki , trying his hardest not to laugh as he positioned himself into a fighting stance, “Certainly, if you insist. I'm happy to tussle whenever you're ready. We can fight right this minute if you want.”

“N-no, I don't feel like it today,” she stammered awkwardly, eyeing up his sling, “But trust me; I'll settle the score someday!”

“Fine,” Sabuki said as he turned to leave, “I'll be looking forward to our duel.”

The First Dragons must’ve wanted for Subaki to flounder around for their own amusement, as he only managed to get a few steps away before he heard her call out to him, “Wait! Hold on a moment!”

"Yes?”

“Wait...!” she said, blushing, “Umm... I just wanted to say thank you. You know, for finding my ring. Until next time, Subaki!”

Subaki stared as she walked away, once again finding himself completely dumbfounded, “What a strange girl...”

Only then, did he realize that he made a very, big mistake, “I still don’t know her name!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am back from the grave! Well, I wasn't dead to begin with so... 
> 
> Sorry this took so long to complete. I had a busy semester at school. However, now that I'm on winter break, I was able to finish the chapter. With school, I only expect to release one chapter one semester, two if I'm really in a writing spree.
> 
> Poor Subaki can't quite seem to catch a break.
> 
> Some things of note:
> 
> \- I'm not sure if everyone noticed, but I have yet to mention Selena's name in the story itself. The reason being, is because when I read/watched their support convo, for some reason, in the C support, only Subaki's name is mentioned; Selena's is nowhere to be found. But when we get to the B Support, he magically knows her name. Either he already knew it before the C-Support, or he learned it between their C & B support. I like to think it's the latter.
> 
> \- For future reference, if you ever see an update to the story, but no new chapter, then I have only updated my end notes to inform you, the readers of my progress or any possible delays. I don't want you thinking I've abandoned the story, as I plan to see this through to the end.
> 
> \- My next chapter release will either be the week of February 13th, or the end of April at the latest, depending on how my studies go. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyways, feel free to leave a comment on what you think.

**Author's Note:**

> I have been plagued by a writer's block for a while now, but I also have two works in progress (this is one of them), and a couple others still on the idea board. I'm hoping you guys enjoy the preview, and I hope that potential comments you leave will inspire me to finish this oneshot/potential multi fic story and pull me out of my writer's block. 
> 
> More tags will be added in the future. 
> 
> Please tell me how I did. It is greatly appreciated.


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